


secretly dating 101

by fated_addiction



Series: your freshman class [2]
Category: GOT7, K-pop, KARA (Band), Korean Actor RPF, 룸메이트 | Roommate (TV)
Genre: F/M, OMG FLUFF, Romance, series but not series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-19
Updated: 2015-03-19
Packaged: 2018-03-18 13:36:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3571580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fated_addiction/pseuds/fated_addiction
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>In retrospect, he should blame the stupid movie.</i> Youngji asks a question. Jackson has a response. Well, kind of. </p><p>OR it's not really secretly dating until your friends get involved anyway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	secretly dating 101

**Author's Note:**

> SO what has now been dubbed the 'your freshman class' series is just going to be a place that I can house a couple of ficlets. They're not connected, but they might be sometimes. And it's just easier than putting post-its everywhere on my desk. 
> 
> For another [tumblr anon](http://fated-addiction.tumblr.com/) request. ♥

In retrospect, he should blame the stupid movie.

They both get home late. She has a comeback in May. He just got back from the airport and a fan meeting in Thailand. Between practice rooms and traveling, the two of them are too _wired_ to go back to sleep when they get to the share house. When both Sunny and Joon abandon them for sleep, Youngji kicks his leg.

"We should watch a movie."

Jackson's nose wrinkles. "Why?" He checks his watch. "We'd have to, like, commit to it."

She shrugs. "You know you're not going to go to bed," she says. She grabs a blanket from the corner of the couch. He watches her drape it over her legs. "And I'm definitely not going to bed because I feel like I've been drinking --" she yawns loudly, "coffee all _day_."

"Well, then you can't pick," he replies.

They fight about it, a little, because she wants to watch some sort of romantic comedy about girl meets boy and then changes her mind and is like, hey, but SPIES and he looks at her like she's totally lost it -- of course, Youngji likes spy movies. He'd totally buy it. He wants to watch a scary movie because if they're going to stay up, they should at least commit to staying up.

"I'm not watching the Ring," she mumbles, glaring at him as he puts it in anyway. He drops back onto the couch next to her and steals half her blanket. "This is so stupid."

" _You're_ stupid," he teases.

She hits him in the face with a pillow instead.

The movie starts and it's weird -- not weird, the movie, but weird because her legs migrate from her corner of the couch to his lap. He tries logic since they're sharing a blanket. He finds himself tucking the blanket around them both, his hand curling around her ankle and adjusting her sock. His thumb smoothes over some skin and he stops, pauses, biting his lip because it's a little too soft, really, for just being her ankle and some skin.

"This makes no sense," she says. Jackson blinks and looks at her because she's closer and _actually_ watching the movie. His thumb starts moving in circles and she makes a soft sound, kinda breathy too. "This is why I don't like these movies -- there's nothing practical. Like if you want to scare people, be _practical_ and believable. That's what makes a good ghost story."

He leans over, flicking his fingers against her forehead. "You're thinking too much," he says. "And this movie's _old_ , dude."

She rolls her eyes. " _Dude_?" His hand drops back over her ankle and yeah, dude, what is he doing -- he rolls his thumb back over her skin. She doesn't say anything, but, "Just because it's an old movie doesn't mean it should be anything _but_ scary."

He rolls his eyes back at her. "Thinking too hard," he says again.

Youngji merely sighs. They sit quietly. He starts watching her, just a little bit, because he's not really into the movie and maybe a drama would have been better because episodes make things more interesting. He thinks _she's really pretty_. It's not the first, it's definitely not the last time, and it's something else because she's here and he's here and they definitely spend time alone too.

He hasn't told her that he likes her new hair yet. It's stupid. He's supposed too, seeing as he's the best friend and all and girls like it when you remember and acknowledge these things. He shifts forward. He adjusts the blanket and then turns to her, cupping her face. She blinks. Then she makes a soft sound with her mouth, her lips puckering forward. He pushes at her bangs, studying her.

"They're pretty," he says.

Her brow furrows. "We're watching a scary movie, you know."

"I thought I should tell you."

"You should work on your timing though," she replies and then he catches it, that pretty little blush that sort of fits itself across her cheeks. The corner of her mouth turns and she looks forward, her gaze moving back to the movie. There's a scream on the television.

His hand drops. He pouts a little.

"You never like when I tell you that you're pretty."

Youngji laughs softly. "I do."

"Then?"

She looks back at him. He can't read her expression this time. He's really good at it, you know. She has about five faces for when she's disappointed, another five for when she's happy, actually there's _six_ but that face is saved for when she's just Youngji. There's that too, you know. She has Youngji from KARA faces, Heo Youngji faces for when she's at the coffee shop or when she's around her mother and her sister, where the brightness that he sees is -- look, he's not counting or anything. He just knows.

"Then?" he presses, and he can't help himself. 

"Then what?" she asks, biting her lip. "This conversation's dumb, Wang Jackson. All girls like it when you tell them that they're pretty."

He shakes his head. "But you're always pretty."

Her eyes narrow and she studies him. She bites her lip again and he feels like he's missing something.

"Do you mean that though," she asks, like really asks, and he only knows that she's really asking because something changes in the way she holds herself. Her legs drop from his lap and she's shifting, taking the blanket with her.

"I do though."

She shakes her head. "You tell all girls they're pretty --"

"All girls are," he says slowly. "In different ways too. But I don't get it. I'm being serious --"

"Then be my boyfriend for a day."

Everything sort of stops. Or rather, he kind of stares at her with huge eyes, his mouth hanging open widely, and he doesn't even have it in him to ask her to say _that_ again. His hands drop.

"I mean it," she says. "Just for a day."

She looks at him, directly at him, her eyes open and bright. She's blushing, but she's not as red or pink but it's still really, really pretty, and, _and_ it may be the prettiest he's ever seen her. Something in him shifts and he kind of wants to lean forward and touch her, not just touch her, but kiss her because that's bold, stupidly bold, and Youngji only gets like this when she's been thinking about something for a really long time and he can't even process that.

"For a day," he repeats, hears himself.

"Uh-huh." 

Someone on the television screams. They really should turn it down, he thinks vaguely. He's not terrified. The movie was stupid anyway. He just can't look away from Youngji.

"Okay," he says.

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

"Wait. _Wait_ \--" Mark hold up a hand, staring at him like he's lost it. "She asked you to _what_?"

Jackson sighs. He's already put on his jacket. He's twenty minutes for coffee, but it's fine since Youngji is running late from her schedule and this was either going to happen or not happen because spring is when things for them pick up all over again.

"Be her boyfriend for a day," he answers again. Jr. bursts into laughter all over again and Mark keeps looking at him like he's lost it. "And I said yes," he says.

Mark snorts. "Well, I figured you would --"

"This is their thing," Jr. says. "You have to let them be."

"But it's _weird_ ," Mark insists.

"And I'm late," Jackson says. "We promised to have coffee today. And I need to stop and get something for her mom because she's going to be at the shop today too."

"For a day though --"

Jackson rolls his eyes and heads out, not really giving any of his friends something more than what he knows too. Youngji asked. He said yes. It is what is. Right? Right.

He gets a text reply in the car, responding with _on my way_ , not really knowing if that's boyfriend-y or if he could take it a step further and see what she wanted and needed. But he does that already, he thinks. They talk every morning, or try to at least, depending on the time zone and what's on the schedule. If not, it's nighttime texting. But he's pretty sure that he manages to go through his week talking to her more than not talking her and worrying about what's going. Because he worries. A lot.

It's not just her. He worries about Sunny. He worries about Seho and Dongwook and Nana and -- really, he worries about everybody that's sort of come together in this weird, makeshift family between shows and groups and friends that have really just come together around him. Youngji fits there and elsewhere, which is the weirdest part because he doesn't care to put her in a particular place. He only cares that if she's _there_.

"Here," his manager says, interrupting his thoughts, dropping him off at a nearby bakery and flower shop so that he can figure his life out and get something to bring with him. The coffee shop is only a block away so he goes with a box of chocolates from the bakery because the cafe has things like cakes and stuff _and_ Youngji has told him (he listens, okay) that her mother likes sweet things.

For Youngji, on the other hand, it takes a little longer. He goes to the flower shop only because it's a boyfriend thing to do. It's also because he watched the episode from this week and remembers how excited she was at the seed shop with Guk Joo. Yo, it's not like it's a secret.

So he buys the bouquet of lavender because it smells pretty enough and she likes purple.

_here and where are you??? -______________-_

He laughs at the text he gets. The man at the counter smiles, handing him the wrapped bouquet.

"Girlfriend?" he asks.

Jackson looks up, surprised. "Um," he says. "Yeah, I guess so."

"So new girlfriend then." The older man laughs. "On the house," he says, pushing Jackson's card towards him. "I have to celebrate good taste every once in awhile."

"I should tell her you said that," Jackson says seriously.

The man merely laughs again.

It's easy then. He grabs his things and uses the crosswalk, mindful of the cars, the chocolates, and keeping the flowers in tact because it's important that he gets there, gives the candy to Youngji's mom, and then pass on the lavender so he can sort of _ease_ into a question.

Why a day?

"Hi Jackson!"

He looks up, walking into the coffee shop. He smiles at Youngji's sister and passes the chocolate box to give to her mom. Her sister looks amused and confused, but seems sort of used to these things anyway. She waves a hand, pointing to the tables and the stairs behind him.

"She's by the window," she says. "Upstairs, I think."

Jackson nods and turns.

He weaves his way the tables, heading up the stairs, and then finding Youngji sitting at a table with her coffee and a book. He stops first, gripping the flowers. His hands get a little shaky and he finds himself swallowing a couple times, but not really knowing why. They have coffee a lot. They spend time together alone. They're friends. _She_ just made this weird, he thinks.

But he never asked any questions either.

He steels himself then. He breathes. He hits himself in the side of the head and then straightens himself, walking forward and then stopping again.

She looks really pretty, he thinks.

She's just sitting there, her sweater draped over her shoulders. Her hair is pulled up, out of her face, and he just can't really explain it -- she looks soft, warmer too, and her mouth is curled, full and pink and he feels a little too warm, pulling at his collar, even just looking at her. Nothing about her is sharp anyway, he thinks, and he likes that about her. She's much more unexpected.

"You can sit down," she calls.

He's been caught and blushes, ducking his head. Jackson sighs. She's good too, he thinks. He moves forward and drops into the chair next to her. He thrusts the bouquet into her hand.

"Here," he says.

"Lavender!" Her eyes brighten. "It smells really wonderful," she says too. "Thank you!"

"Well," he says. "I am your boyfriend for a day."

She laughs, but it's more like a startled sound. She bites her lip and gently puts the flowers on the table next to her coffee.

"About that," she murmurs.

"What --" He studies her. "You don't want it?" He clutches at his heart. "I'm _hurt_."

"Well. We haven't really had time for a day," she points out.

"That's true."

She shrugs. "And you were late."

"You were late too," he says.

"But I was still here first."

He laughs, out right, rolling his eyes and pushing at her arm. He drops his hand against the back of her chair, pulling her closer to her. He always likes sitting next to her, not across from her, because it's better to be next to someone close anyway. 

He tilts his head. "You win," he says. 

She grins.

They sit and talk as usual. He asks about the comeback and she tells him, rotating between serious, shy talks about things like choreography and her voice. He listens and offers suggestions; then they reverse. It's different, you know, being able to talk to someone who isn't a member or your parents or manager or _anyone_ who seems a little out of reach when you need an outlet from idol life.

If there's anyone, he thinks, who gets that -- it's definitely Youngji. She's the biggest surprise of this year for him.

"You look tired," she murmurs.

He shrugs and her brow furrows. Youngji reaches forward, her fingers brushing against his jaw. 

"That's a bruise," she adds.

"I was doing a trick," he says. "My timing was off. I'm fine though -- part of it, you know."

Youngji shakes her head. Her bangs drop over her eyes.

"Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt, you know."

"I'm being a man about it," he says, waving her off. He means to push her hand away from her face, but his fingers curl around her wrist and stupidly, suddenly, his hand links with her and falls to the table.

"Idiot," she murmurs. She squeezes his hand. 

"Well, I did say yes to this."

She looks started and man, listen, this is not how he wanted to ask her. He flushes, embarrassed, and drops his gaze for a moment. He keeps hold of her hand, his grip tightening just in case he makes her mad and then they have a real, weird couple-y fight in the middle of a coffee shop like in all those dramas she _does_ make him watch.

"You didn't think I was going to bring it up?" he teases, but then it comes out awkward, like really awkward, where he lets her hand go just a little bit.

"Not like that," she says.

It rings clear in his head, again, _be my boyfriend for a day_ , and it's not the day part that has him confused. It seems unlike her, or like her and he's still trying to catch up. He's in awe of her most of the time anyway. He's not good at this though. He's good at being honest. He's good at saying what he feels. Beyond that, facing her and trying to say how _this_ makes him feel is really, really strange and difficult.

"We don't have to do it," Youngji tells him and then, right here, he really wants to kiss her. Her mouth curls and she looks away, almost shyly.

"You look really pretty," he says, and again, "Seriously."

She hits his chest. "I'm trying to be serious."

"Well, then why did you ask me to be your boyfriend for a day? And a day? Why not, well, a week? Do you like someone?"

"I do," she says.

His eyes widen. His mouth opens. He becomes so distressed at the thought of her being Youngji with someone else, someone else that's not him, with pieces of herself that she shouldn't give to just anyone. He lets go of her hand and she makes a soft noise, reaching and grabbing his hand this time.

Youngji tugs at his hand. Her fingers curl over his knuckles. She tugs again.

"Why do you think I asked _you_?"

He pouts. "Because you like someone," he says.

"Jackson --"

"It's not any of my hyungs, right?"

" _Yah_."

"I mean," he says. "If it is, can I just -- can it be --"

"You're such an idiot," she says, and her hands cup his face again, her mouth covering his and whoa, whoa, _whoa_ her mouth tastes warm and sweet and her fingers curl in his shirt, tugging him closer to her.

It takes him a minute, then two, then _three_ to taste taste her. He sighs a little and they really, really, really shouldn't be doing this but her mouth is super warm and his hand drops, hard, over the back of her chair. It makes a loud sound when he drags her closer and her legs hit his, he's trying to process just how warm she is. 

"Well," he breathes against her mouth. "You can't kiss me and say that we can only do this for a day."

Her lips curl back. "I think you're starting to get it."

"But shouldn't I be the one asking?"

She pulls back and laughs, her hands still curled in his shirt and jacket and he likes, selfishly, how close she keeps him. He wants to kiss her again too. It's a sharp, confusing feeling that makes a lot of weird sense and seems rather blunt and appropriate for him. He can't see her with someone else. The idea isn't something he wants to hold.

"Well," she reasons. "I could wait ten years for you to do it --"

He growls and leans in, his mouth brushing over hers. She makes a soft sound, then there's a laugh and he kisses that off and away too, his hand dipping into her hair and curling it. He tugs her close and wants to be stupid, desperately stupid and pull her into his lap because that's romantic and he can do romantic things too. He's just practical and she's just sprung this on him.

When he breaks away, her eyes are closed and she's smiling.

"You haven't actually said it," she points out. "That you like me or that you want --"

"You hate hearing things all the time though." He pokes her nose, then brushes her hair back with his fingers. She watches him and bites her lip. "The last time we talked about me calling you pretty -- pre-you asking me to be a day boyfriend -- you said that telling you every day makes it less romantic and less meaningful."

Her head cocks to side. "True," she reasons. "I make good points."

"You're such a nerd," he says.

"You like it though," she shoots back.

"This," Jackson tells her, half-serious, then serious, then wanting to be closer to her all over again. Because he always again. "Anyways, you should ask me again."

"Ask you?"

"The question," he says.

She blinks. Then she laughs and shakes her head. "The question," she repeats. "Okay." She touches his face, gently, carefully even. Her fingers touch his mouth and he almost kisses them too. "Yah," she says. "Be my boyfriend for a day?"

But they're smiling at each other, stupidly too, because something's happened and they can't really go and say it; neither of them are like that anyway. He takes her hand, he curls his fingers around hers carefully, then reaches for her coffee. He steals a sip and she huffs. They end up watching another couple climb up the stairs, smiling a greeting as they pass them and take a table on the other side.

Jackson thinks about kissing her again and nothing about the moment is linear, but then again, they've never been like that. He doesn't call her pretty, again, even though he really wants to -- because if you see her, right next to him, at the window and the way the sun hits her, you'd think something stupid (like he is) about songs and suns and how Youngji is very much that girl, surprises and all.

"I think I'll do it," he says. "But only for more than a day."

Youngji throws her head back and laughs brightly.

He means that too.

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

A week later, Amber corners him backstage. 

She's with Luna, who he doesn't really know, but that Mark really, really, _really_ likes, so Amber pushes them together, away, and then drags Jackson to a separate corner, grinning wildly.

"I told her to do it, you know," she says. "Youngji," she says too. "To ask you."

"Ask me?"

His friend gets a strange gleam in her eyes and she can only laugh because it's an understanding, you know, anyway.

"To be her boyfriend for a day," she says. "And now you owe me a first born. Or at least the opportunity to be the really, really, SUPER cool auntie when the time comes." She then jerks her hand back to Mark and Luna. "Or I'll have to set my sights on those two and they're even slower than you two idiots were. Glad it was a good date."

His mouth opens and closes. He almost says _it wasn't a date_ but Amber is like his mom and when she's right, she's _right_. It's better to nod anyway.

This is why Jackson starts to tell people his friends are scary.


End file.
